The Assignment:
First, understanding what constitutes a well-done statement of TDRs and KSAs. It might be useful to look for a professional association's website to see what they have to offer in terms of knowledge. The knowledge in those websites may be a little broader than those in a specific firm, but they will most likely be very useful.
When looking at many specific firms' websites, you will almost surely run into many poorly done sets of TDRs and KSAs (Most often, the KSA description is lacking). Be sure to know what constitutes Knowledge, what is a Skill, and what are underlying Abilities required perform the job. This will help you eliminate poor sources quickly.
Use the web to find a specific organization that has a good statement of TDRs and KSAs for an entry-level job in your occupation. You are looking for a very high quality job description (TDR) and job specification (KSA), and many organizations will not have done them very well. I suspect that on average, you might have to look at 10 to 20 (or more) organizations' websites before you find a well-done (complete, unambiguous, understandable, detailed) job description and job specification. KEEP LOOKING UNTIL YOU FIND IT, although you may be able to supplement a specific firm's description with the knowledge requirements you pick up from professional associations.
Things NOT TO DO
DO NOT use a generic job search site like Monster or HotJobs.
Do not use an internship that you have had.
Do not use an informal statement by an old or new boss, a family member or a friend in some existing organization.
You are looking for a high quality, professional job analysis, and nothing short of that will let you do well on this assignment.
You paper should consist of the following points in the following order (PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THIS ORDER):
1. Job Title and a short paragraph describing generally what is done on the job, and the name of the organization and its web address for the job.
2. A list of the TDRs required in this job. They should be through, complete and understandable by somebody outside of your field of expertise. Write this in list form. You may copy (cut and paste) a list from a well-done web site.
3. A list of the KSAs required to perform the job. These should conform to the definition of KSAs given above, and correspond to the TDR list (These need not be in the same order as TDRs).
a. If they are well done on the firm's web site, you may cut and paste the list into your paper. Simply acknowledge the source (web address is fine).
b. If you say"Excellent communication skills" or "Excellent computer skills" are required, you are far too general and ambiguous, and you need to find a more specific statement of KSAs for the job.
c. Saying something like: "Excellent communication skills" or "Excellent computer skills" without adequate explanation of the specific KSAs will result in lowering you grade by at least one letter.
d. WHILE YOU MUST FIND A SPECIFIC FIRM'S WEBSITE, once you have one you can get help filling in specific KSAs from ONET (http://online.onetcenter.org/). Use our discussion of ONET in class as a guide, and keep in mind that ONET is much broader than a specific job. DO NOT START WITH ONET: Consult ONET after you have found a specific job at a specific firm. Note too that many professional associations have something that looks like certification criteria for entry level or early career positions. Check SHRM for HR; APICS for operations/logistics & IE; CPA exam for accounting; AMA for marketing; NASD for finance, etc. These will be a good deal broader than a specific entry level job, and you will more likely find they cover sets of related entry level/early career jobs in the occupation. This can help you with the KSAs for a specific job.
4. Do a self-assessment of which KSAs you now have, and which you are lacking (to some degree).
5. State how you plan to acquire the KSAs that you need but do not presently have. (E.g. take another course; do a special project with a firm, etc.)
6. Write a succinct paragraph (150 word maximum) that you will use to describe your KSAs to a prospective employer. What are the most important things you want to tell a prospective employer about yourself, and how will you communicate those points?
7. MANY organizations say things like "we want self starters who are driven to success and can work well in a team..." Anticipating this, what will you tell them? Much BETTER how will you demonstrate this to them? ("Actions speak louder than words..." my Mom (and possibly yours) would so often say!)